Tag Archives: Donald Trump

Donald Trump has claimed Scottish wind farms “sully” the country’s natural beauty, according to a BBC report on the President elect’s recent meeting with Nigel Farage.

According to Leave campaigner Andy Wigmore, who was also present at the meeting, Trump was said to be offended by the wind farms. “He has got a bugbear – he doesn’t like wind farms at all. He says ‘when I look out of my window and I see these windmills, it offends me. You’ve got to do something about these windmills. Let’s put them offshore, why spoil the beautiful countryside?'”

This news comes almost a year after it was reported that Donald Trump had lost a legal battle against 11 wind turbines close to Aberdeen, close to the businessman cum President-elect’s golf development off the Aberdeenshire coast. He argued at the time that the windmills would spoil the view.

Speaking to the BBC, WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “One would have thought Mr Trump would have far more important issues to be dealing with.

“The reality is that offshore wind turbines are already making a significant contribution to the UK’s power supply. And, given that Scotland is home to a quarter of Europe’s offshore wind resource, we should be aiming to make the most of this clean power source.”

It has been revealed that Donald Trump’s green-keeper Paul O’Conner, head-hunted by the multi-millionaire tycoon to look after his planned Aberdeenshire golf resort, is to have no further involvement with the project.

Indications from residents and their supporters are that the departure was motivated by Trump’s tactics in trying to convince resident land-owners to sell up in order that he can extend his golf course and resort.

An accusation that large mounds of earth have been dumped outside of residents’ houses or bordering their land in order to intimidate those who live in the development area, might be the reason for O’Conner’s walk-out say residents.

In a statement, Trump’s spokeswoman said he had left “for personal and family reasons”. It is thought that O’Conner had declined to build a mound of earth behind the home of David Milne, one of the residents who refused to sell their house and land to Mr Trump.

O’Conner himself declined to comment on his reasons for leaving.

There has been an ongoing conflict between residents and Trump, who gained approval to build two golf courses and hundreds of luxury homes on the site in Aberdeenshire in 2008.

The suggestion is that Donald Trump is trying to force the remaining residents to give up their homes (he has certainly said that he would like them to sell). But while there is, what Martin Glegg (who helps run the ‘Trip Up Trump’ group opposed to the development) calls a “subtle” and ongoing harassment of the residents, Aberdeenshire council said:

“There is currently no live request by the developer for Aberdeenshire Council to make use of compulsory purchase powers in relation to properties on the Menie Estate.

“Should a formal request be made for Aberdeenshire Council to use such powers, this would be a matter for the full Council to consider.”

Glegg also expressed distaste at the fact that local press had not covered the awarding to Trump of an honorary degree from the RGU and said the group had turned to alternative outlets to get their message heard, like Facebook.

Susan Munroe, one of the four residents affected by the Trump development spoke to Edinburgh Napier News of her and other resident’s intimidation. She had a field next to her house bulldozed, which she claimed was not part of the current plans for the development of the site. The bulldozing was stopped, but now “it is just a field of sand.”

As well as the mound of earth that went up around David Milne’s home Munroe also has a mound of earth around her home erected by Trump; speaking to her over the phone she said

“I am looking into a bank of sandy earth, looking out of my window here, exactly the length of my house he’s put it.”

The mound of earth around Susan’s house is 12 feet high by her reckoning, but the one now around David Milne’s house is 20 feet, which appeared shortly after Trump arrived in Scotland to check on the developments’ progress. Perhaps reflecting bitterness between O’Conner and Trump over the parting of the two, Susan said she had seen Trump and she “thought he looked unhappy, hands in pockets when he was here”

Glegg and Munroe both expressed dissatisfaction with the way that the media was responding to and reporting their plight, and suggested that the Press and Journal as well as other local publications were ignoring the intimidation that the residents are being subjected to.

“Donald Trump does not deserve this honorary degree in my opinion.” said Ben Catriall, a member of the Students Union.

Students at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen are in uproar after Donald Trump was awarded the Doctorate of Business Administration. He was presented this for his contribution towards the golf course development in Aberdeenshire .

The event, as usually happens with anything involving Trump, has not left anyone indifferent. University authorities are in favour of this honour but students offer an opposite reaction. This view is supported by the ex-principal of the university. Last week Dr. David Kennedy, who was principal of the Robert Gordon University from 1987 to 1997, handed back his honorary degree title as a protest against the event that has taken place this morning.

Ben Catriall supported Dr Kennedy’s action, saying: “I totally understand why Dr. Kennedy handed back his own title. This is very unfair for any actual student.”

Donald Trump, who plans to run for president of the United States, is well known in Aberdeenshire for his plans to build the world’s greatest golf course in the Meine Dunes. The plans for the development have caused thousands of protest from the zone neighbours, who might face eviction of their homes if the proposal go ahead.

A March against these plans is taking place tomorrow at the Meine Estate and is expected to begin at noon.